Chapter 103

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author POV

Everyone stand quietly with a clenched fists and a mixed feeling.

Anger.

Angst.

Upset.

Hatred.

Grudge.

And determination.

After a moment, Junsu slowly sit on the floor and chuckle.

The sound of his soft chuckle pulls everyone’s attention toward him. Junsu slowly lift his head and looks around him with a faint smile paste on his face. But his eye show otherwise. It was cold and distance.

“So…….feel likes doing something? I don’t know about you guys……..but anything that Sungyu and Yunho hyung think of……….I’m in……”

Everyone slowly nod and slowly let go their clenched knuckle that already turned white.

(Flashback)

“You guys already know that I’m being targeted, right?? Also the reason behind it, isn’t it???”

All of them slowly nodded with a bitter expression.

“The agreement I made?? The extended shooting period?? The restless schedules?? You guys know all about it, right??”

All INFINITE’s members don’t have courage to make any eye contact with Sungyeol when they heard that. Only a heavy sigh can be heard. They do know about all the things that Sungyeol just mentioned.

Sungyu slowly lift his head and look directly toward Sungyeol.

“That’s why……we want you to keep going Sungyeol ah~~~You are stronger than any of us here……Kris even said that among all who had been targeted by Lee Soo Man….you are the most persistent and the longest standing…….we know you can do it~~~~you need to show the old man that he targeted a wrong person this time…..TVXQ and JYJ will help you to grow…..”

Sungyeol let out a small chuckled and coughed a bit trying to hold the funny feeling he felt when Sungyu said all of that with a serious face. All INFINITE’s members looks puzzled with Sungyeol inconsistent antics.

Meanwhile, Dongwoo and TVXQ/JYJ’s members felt bitter listened to Sungyeol.

“I don’t have enough time for that hyung…….”

“But…..you should….”

“No hyung………no…..”

Myungsoo weakly dragged his foots toward his best friend. He gently grabs Sungyeol’s hand and squeezed it.

“Sungyeol ah~~~~please don’t be too stubborn……I know, leaving INFINITE will hurt you.….but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep doing what you like……I know you like to sing more than acting…..I know you love music more than movie……and….and I know you tried to protect us more than yourself……but please~~~~it’s not the end……”

“IT IS THE END!!!!!”

Sungyeol quickly pulled his hand back from Myungsoo and coughed more loudly this time. He even tried to take a deep breathe when he start to felt a bit short of breath. Myungsoo was hurt when his other half rejected him.

“Sungyeol ah…….please, stop it~~~~you need to rest…….we will handle everything here….please Sungyeol ah~~~I beg you……”

Junsu, Yunho, Jaejoong and Yoochun turned their head to other direction because they can’t stand looking at their maknae that looks so fragile and weak. The last time Changmin begged someone like that is when he begged Junsu to stay in SM Entertainment and they can’t watch it for the second time.

“No hyung~~~No…….why did you guys gave that false hope to my members?? You know that was impossible for me!!! I told you already Changmin Hyung……THIS IS MY LAST STAGE!!!!”

Sungyu widen his eyes and turn his head toward Changmin and Yunho, while other INFINITE’s member frowned hard with Sungyeol’s sudden burst.

“Is there…..is there anything…..anything that I…..no~~~~that we, INFINITE don’t know about??”

Yunho sigh heavily because he knows that question was for him. He just gazes guiltily at Sungyu who already throw a glare at him.

“I……I told you already Yunho hyung……that if……if there is anything else that we know nothing about……I…..I……”

Sungyu was so upset that he can’t even finish his word.

“Don’t you dare do anything Sungyu hyung!!!! Don’t you dare…….If you really care about me………do nothing!!!! And don’t worry……….TVXQ/JYJ sunbae-nim doesn’t know more than you guys anyway……so making me as their member is just a wishful thought…….thank you for that by the way……”

This time, the TVXQ/JYJ is the one frowning. Didn’t they know everything already? So, why Sungyeol said that?

“So……to stop our respected sunbae-nim from thinking anything stupid and to stop you guys from doing anything more stupid……….let me tell you guys everything……..make me as an example, not an excuse……..I’m screwed up anyway…..so, why not I just let it go, isn’t it??”

“Don’t tell me……that you had something else hidden…..even…….from us?”

Changmin started to felt restless when Sungyeol avoid an eye contact with him. He thought he knows everything already about Sungyeol and his condition. Meanwhile, Sungyu’s eyes darken and Woohyun is the only one who noticed it. He slowly rubs the back of his broken leader to calm him down.

“Sungyu hyung……remember when I fainted after our performance at the Music Bank months ago?”

Everyone snap their attention toward Sungyu and the INFINITE’s leader just nod slowly. Only him and their manager, Hyoan knew about that.

“I told you it was an accident at the filming set isn’t it? Well……no~~~I was purposely being hit with that wooden stick…….”

Everyone gasp but no one say a word.

“Myungsoo ahh……..remember the bloody shirt you found in my bag? That’s not a fake blood….it’s my blood……from here……I got this when my safety hook for wire on the set got cut off while I jumped from a window…….fracture my rib in the process…...so, yeah~~fun time~~”

Everyone swallowed hard and their eyes followed Sungyeol’s finger that point on the long scar that he had along his wrist to his elbow while Myungsoo clenched both of his fist.

He felt hurt.

“Got cut…..cut off? Frac……fracture rib???”

All INFINITE’s member can’t believe what they heard and Hoya just barely clutches his hand tightly on the hem of Sungyu’s shirt.

“Well……that was just a start…….Kris said that I’m the most persistent? Yeah…….I guess he right about that~~~I’m too stubborn, that’s why I got pushed, kicked and punched every time ‘they’ got the chance to touch me……..”

“The…they?? Who….who are ‘they’??!!!”

Hoya can no longer keep his mouth shut. He started to feel furious with what he heard. But the main dancer of INFINITE is not the only one. Even Sungjong’s face hardens.

“Nah~~~I don’t know and I don’t care……I’m used to it already……Kind of fun actually~~~make me understand my role better for the drama ~~~”

“SHUT UP!!!! YOU THINK THAT IS FUNNY??!!”

Everyone was stunned by Woohyun’s sudden roar. The main vocal that trying to keep his cool for so long can keep it in anymore, especially when Sungyeol make a fun on a serious matter.

“YES……IT IS FUNNY!!!! HOW FUNNY IT IS WHEN THEY TRIED TO DO SOMETHING USELESS!!!!! BUT IT’S OKAY…….BECAUSE THAT’S ME!!!! THE USELESS ONE!!!”

“WHAT ‘OKAY’ ABOUT THAT??!!! DON’T BE SO SELFISH!!! WHO DO YOU THINK WE ARE??? SOME USELESS BUNCH WHO CAN’T EVEN PROTECT OUR OWN BROTHER???”

Usually when Woohyun in his fire-mode, Sungyu or someone will tried to calm him down, but right everyone was too weak to even do anything. Sungyeol want to reply back Woohyun’s accusation but he stop and squints his eyes when he felt the sudden sharp pain squeezing his tummy. He panted slowly and gently rubs his tummy to lessen the pain.

“Then….let me tell you guys something…….you think I’m the first?? You think I didn’t think about you guys at all??”

Sungyeol’s words slap Jaejoong across the face. He felt sudden rush of blood to his head that he march toward Sungyeol in agitated manner. Then he grab Sungyeol’s arm and look directly into his eyes.

“DID SOMEONE CALLED YOU???!! THREATHEN YOU??!!”

Sungyeol just smile bitterly, confirming Jaejoong’s question.

“THAT BASTARD!!!! HE DID IT!!!! HE DID IT AGAIN!!!!”

“What do you mean??”

Dongwoo asked confusedly. He never saw Jaejoong that upset.

“Sungyu hyung dropped album’s sale, Woohyun’s shoulder injury last concert and Myungsoo’s exposed scandal last year……..how do you guys think that happen??”

Sungyeol look directly into his leader and take a deep breath.

“Hyung…….let me be the last……if I were too stubborn……Dongwoo hyung and Howon…….or maybe Sungjong too will be the next target~~~~can’t you guys just let me go??”

Everyone just silently grit their teeth slowly. No one seems to have any words to say.

“And about joining the TVXQ/JYJ thing……that won’t work out……they also know that it just a wishful thought…….I can’t……this collaboration is my last…….my last stage to perform……..I’m sorry…….”

“But Sungyeol ah……they just want you out of INFINITE……that doesn’t mean that you…..you need to give up on your dream…….You choose this path…..don’t give up please~~~~Let TVXQ/JYJ help you to grow……..If you give up because of this….I……I will not be able to forgive myself…….”

Sungyeol sigh softly and smile faintly. He hates seeing that. A weak Sungyu. He swallows hard and clears his throat. Sungyeol quickly wipe the tear that that almost falls down with the back of his hand. But the tear still can’t stop falling and the result; Sungyeol’s soft sob can be heard.

Everyone brake down at the scene in front of them. Their foot rooted strongly to the floor and they just can stand and watch Sungyeol’s painful sob. He did cried in front of Kris, Yunho and Changmin before, but to break down in front of everyone is something that he never expected will happen, not even INFINITE and TVXQ/JYJ.

“Hyu….hyung…..I~~~I can’t……I can’t anymore……after the collaboration…..I can’t~~~~”

“Sung…..Sungyeol ahh~~~Why did you say that?”

“I just…..can’t…..can’t~~~~urgghh~~~”

Everyone, literally everyone just dash forward when Sungyeol slide down to the floor coughing and gasping for air. He can no longer withstand the pain in his chest and his tummy. Looks like his decision to skip this morning appointment for his treatment backfired.

Yunho quickly make a call to Mr. Jun.

Jaejoong and Woohyun try to rub Sungyeol’s back and chest to help him breathing.

Dongwoo, Hoya and Changmin quickly help to slowly lay Sungyeol down.

Myungsoo and Sungjong still in shock and watch Sungyeol’s condition in horror with tear pouring on their cheeks.

Meanwhile, Sungyu………he just froze.

After Mr. Jun and INFINITE’s manager, Hyoan arrived, they quickly loaded Sungyeol to the hospital, leaving the INFINITE and TVXQ/JYJ standing quietly in the studio with clenched fist.

(End of Flashback)

A/N: Another update for you guy~~~

What will they do?

Wait for my next update~~~